True, what a bummer of an officiating call. Even the Prez of the USA, who can't meet with foreign officials but can find time to meet Barbara Walters on "The View" talk show, said it was a bad call. And who am I to argue with him.
Seriously now, while the ref boned it, I agree the ones we need to be most angry with are the owners and league officials like Goodell for putting this product on the field in the first place. The poor former HS, NAIA, or JUCO official is only doing the best he can. Puny as it is.
I almost feel sorry for the replacement refs. Here's why. In the beginning, the replacements prolly thought they were only going to have to fill in a few preseason games in front of much calmer fans. They prolly didn't think they'd have to face places
like the Dawg Pound and the Black Hole in a regular season game. They prolly have nightmares of being chased around the field by the likes of the Evil Empire, the Fearsome Foursome, and the Monsters of Midway. Then getting pancaked by the Orange Crush, followed by coming down with a severe case of Gang Green.
I said earlier I felt sorry for the Pack. And I still do. But not too sorry. Look at it this way. The Packers only have themselves to be mad at because had the offensive line played better and not allowed Rogers to get sacked 8 times maybe they could have put up enough points such that the final play and score would not have mattered.
Regarding the league wanting to dump the pension plan in favor of a 401K plan, I have a compromise. If the refs don't mind taking control of their own money and investing as they see fit, instead of getting a pension, why not
increase the pay of the officials $38K per year and let them invest it rather than let the league manage it? The $38K/year would not be fixed, but have to have an annual cost of living increase. Do you think that would go over like a Led Zeppelin?